I think this thread is getting off topic...

My question is "how do you know the bible is correct?"

Maybe the Koran is right and we're going to hell.

I think what Habibi was going for was a more mature outlook versus "youre all going to hell because thats what my preacher tells me"

And I believe that if Revelations is truly accurate... the anti-christ will appear as a christian holy man....
just look at Jerry Falwell, Oral Roberts, Jim Baker and the rest... the way they preach and ask for support.... they are a perfect definition of false idols.

I dont recall ANY passage in the new or old testaments directing you to follow a priest/preacher blindly nor to have someone at the pulpit shaking their finger and proclaiming that youre going to hell.

In fact didsnt Jesus tell you to love these people and try to show them the light? Not wag your finger and condemn. That means YOU go to hell for being a hypocrite and not following the teachings of Jesus.

 

I will never make the same mistake again

 

if youre going to hell, youre going to hell....

i buy into the lifestyle of being an a$$hole 6 days of the week, going to church on sunday to ask forgiveness and all is better.

Its a crock.

I also dont believe that any being that is as omnipotent as required to create a world with life would be petty. If such a being exists and knowingly gave us the power of decision do you actually think we would be punished for making the wrong decision? Eternal damnation because you gave me the power to question creation? This is life... not playing a game of peanuts under 3 walnut shells... where you pick the wrong one and you die.

 

Nothing could be further from the truth. The anti-christ will be an extremely politically correct type of person who has hints of religion (IMO) that will please everyone (worldly type). But Daniel specifically says this man will be a leader who will decieve the nations leaders - who will arise - not part of a 10 nation alliance - but from the outside and overthrow 3 of them. He will take over the world - which will seem great to everyone, even to the Jews. But after 3-1/2 years, will declare himself God and will demand the worship of himself - and anyone who does not will die.

This is off topic, but I felt I needed to correct the above statement



You are correct here. Actually, God says to "test the spirits to see if they are from God" So this even means to test HIM and HE will prove HIMSELF true. Oh, and down with the faith movement - they are a bunch of whackos.



There are times when the truth does need to be addressed about one's final resting place. I don't think it is right to condemn someone because they are not a christian (and I mean a true christian - not the tv evangilist type who only want your money). But these types of issues need to be addressed because Christ addressed them. HE said there is only one way to God/forgiveness/eternal life - and that way is through him. it needs to be addressed because Chist did not die in vain. He came because he loves his creation and in the current situation of the time, they were all falling way short of perfection. he died that we may have life.

If I heard that someone died for me for what ever reason, I would want to understand why - which would not be a blind search, but would be something to test as I researched the reasons for someone giving up there life for me.

As far as evolution - I would believe it if there were other species that could speak words like we do, or design ford trucks or drive or would show some sort of increase in knowledge. Why are we the only ones who have this ability? The world is not at some place that all animals need to survive by addapting to a level as we live. We are out of place on the earth compared TO EVERY LIVING ANIMAL ON THIS PLANET. We are different.

runnert

 

I have a theory that may explain things:

Everybody is right. The way I see it is that until a few years ago people were isolated from one another, and interactions between groups was minimal. The only way God could get the message across was to appear once in a while to a large group of people. He came as RA to the Egyptians 6000 years ago, Jehova to Jews 4000 years ago (Old Testament), Jesus to the Jews/Romans 2000 years ago (New Testament), Mohammed 1500 years ago , and as Budda, Vishnu, and the Aztec Sun God etc etc. It's not like He could go on CNN and have a press conference.

The message of the world religions is very similar, the problem is that people got in the way. The Man and the Message arrived with fanfare, miracles, etc; but man recorded the events and attempted to interpret the meaning. Add to this the fact that every group that was visited thought they were he only ones and you get the situation as it is today: We're right, you're wrong. We're going to Heaven, You're going to Hell.

The sooner everyone "gets it", the better off we'll be.

Just my .02

 

flafonman,

Since we have tv today, what will "GOD" show himself as next???

runnert

 

Probably as Pope.

His appearance will follow a departure (2 Thess 2:3)
He is a Gentile (Rev 13:1)
He comes from the Roman Empire (Dan9:26)
His influence is worldwide (Rev 13:8)

And so on. It looks like the RCC was thinking the same thing when they elected a fairly unknown Polish guy Pope, instead of the Italians that they had for years. Think they are trying to cover their bets?

 

2 thess - has to do with a falling away - in otherwords, a rejection of the truth - many walking away from it - which, has it happened yet?

Rev 13:1 - any beast coming from the ocean is definately not kosher - lol

Dan 9:26 - the 4th beast - 1-Babylon, 2-Persia/Medes 3-Greece and 4-Rome

Rev13:8 - every fool will worship this guy

These are good verses, but this tells me it will be a more political man than spiritual. Today, the Pope has as much influence on the world population as does the Queen of England.

The ONE to come is going to have a lot of sympathy for the middle east problems which tells me he will be accepted by the muslims - and you know they don't accept just anyone.

runnert

 

BUT....

John Paul II dies, and is replaced with a new guy. The new guy (from anyplace from England to North Africa=Roman Empire), enacts changes, makes apologies etc which makes the RCC look like the good guys. People flock to this "reformer" who becomes very popular. He cuts through a bunch of BS and brokers a Mid-East peace deal that everyone buys into.

Sound possible?

 

Very interesting reading fellas, I'm impressed with the quality of the input and the level of maturity this thread is taking.
J-150, your posts articulates my thoughts exactly (I wish I could have said it so clearly)
The "shell game" is the perfect analogy.

If there is a "Grand Architect" of the universe,, I can't see him being anything but reasonable. Personally, it would give me more comfort knowing that we are the result of a Creator instead of being here by some "random chaos fluke theory"

Habibi

 

I think we need to close this thread now.

Its just getting too far into "us versus them" territory.

For what its worth, it was a very thoughtful piece Habibi.

 

Well, now that everyone has had their say I'll shed some light, and let you all in on the truth. We are a genetic expirement. Diesease, evolution, defects; they were all "engineered" back in the "The Beginning". There is a God, however God is a "They", and "They" have been here many times, but we have advanced far enough that "They" can no longer appear to us with the same mystery and awe they once could among primitive man. The future is known, the Bible is true, and some day technology, and clues left behind in the Bible will lead us to "Them"...

Okay, sleep well my friends...

 

flafonman - your theory is close mine. I always figured that in the beginning there was that whole religion thing, then came the Tower of Babel incident which resulted in the different languages and from there each religion grew seperately but with the same basis.

Why? It's not getting out of hand, actually a good discussion.



closer9 - sounds like an X-files thing But hey, anything is possible.